Device for compressed gas circuit breaker

ABSTRACT

A pressure gas switch having a high pressure container connected to ground potential and comprising a heating device is also connected to high voltage potential, with a second high pressure container via a tube and is provided with a hose, in order to improve the heating effect in the tube. The hose is so placed that a unidirectional flow may be effected through the hose as well as in the space between the tube and the hose.

C UnIted States Patent 1 1 1 1 3,742,169

Eggert June 26, 1973 [54] DEVICE FOR COMPRESSED GAS CIRCUIT 3,214,546 10/1965 Leeds 200/148 E BREAKER FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Inventor: Horst ag Berlin, Germany 1,156,144 10/1963 Germany 200/148 E Assigneez Si men fi ngesenschaft Berlin Great Britain E and Munich. (iermany Primary ExaminerRobert S. Macon [22] Flled: 1971 Attorney-Curt M. Avery, Arthur E. Wilfond, Herbert 2 1 App| 110 925 L. Lerner and Daniel J. Tick [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT I Jam 30, 1970 Germany up 20 05 0242 A pressure gas switch having a high pressure container connected to ground potential and comprising a heat- 52' 11.5. C1 200/148 E ing device is also connected to high voltage Potential. [5 l Int. Cl. HOlh 33/57 with a Second g Pressure Container Via a lube and is [58] Field of Search 200/148 E, 148 G Provided with a hose, in order to improve the healing effect in the tube. The hose is so placed that a unidirec- 5 References Cited tional flow may be effected through the hose as well as UNITED STATES PATENTS in the space between the tube and the hose.

3,2l4,544 10/1965 Leeds 200/148 B 3 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure DEVICE FOR COMPRESSED GAS CIRCUIT BREAKER DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Pressure gas switches are known which comprise two spatially separated gas containers which are interconnected through a tube. One container is usually connected to ground potential. The container is refilled by a compressor which is also at ground potential and which sucks in the gas, such as for example sulphurhexafluoride, from a low pressure chamber, in switches with a closed gas cycle, more particularly two stage pressure gas switches. The second gas container is positioned as close as possible to the switching path and is at high voltage potential, so as to keep the distance of the gas on the way to the are, short.

When switches of the afore-indicated type require a heating system, primarily in order to prevent a condensation of the gas, only the gas container which is connected to ground, is usually provided with a heating device. The other gas container is heated only through the heat transport which is effected by the gas which is present in the interior of the switch. This affords a heating system of relatively simple construction since the heating system does not have to be insulated for high voltage. Under certain conditions, it may be so arranged at ground potential that it will be accessible, during operation.

The object of the invention is an improved efficiency for the heater used in pressure gas switches of the aforementioned type, by maintaining the simple construction.

To this end in accordance with the invention, a hose is placed into the tube and connected with the heating device in such a manner that, under the effect of the heating device, a unidirectional flow passes, flrstly, through the hose and secondly, through the space between the tube and the hose. The unidirectional flow prevents a turbulence of the warm gas which flows from the heated container to the other container and of the cold gas, which flows in the other direction. Thus, the heat transport and, as a result, the efficiency of the heating system, are increased many times, in a simple manner.

The invention is preferably carried into effect so that the heated gas rises through the hose. The cooler gas then forms an outside insulating jacket and reduces the heat dissipation, due to the fact that the temperature of the refluxing, cooler gas is usually higher than the ambient temperature of the switch. The hose is preferably made of synthetic material, as ordinary synthetics possess only slight thermal conductance properties, combined with good insulating properties, are economical and easy to mount.

For a better illustration of the invention, an embodiment will be illustrated with reference to the enclosed schematic drawing:

The illustrated switch is a two stage gas switch which uses sulphur hexafluoride, as a quencher. The switch comprises a grounded base structure 1 which supports a protection insulator 2. Seated upon the protection insulator is a metallic switch head 3 which conducts high voltage. The switch head 3 defines the low pressure chamber for the quencher gas which flows, during the switching process, out of the switch chamber 5 and 6, into the switch head 3 when a blow valve 7 is opened. The blow valve 7 is located above the gear housing 3 and controls the outlet of a high pressure container 8, which is covered with a heat insulation 9. The high pressure container 8 kept at high voltage potential is connected, via an insulating tube 10, with another high pressure container 11, at ground potential,which is also provided with a heat insulation 12. The high pressure container 11 which is at ground potential, is provided with an electric heating device 13, which prevents the quencher gas from condensing at a drop in temperature.

Into tube 10, situated between the lower high pressure gas container 11 and the upper gas container 8, a synthetic hose 15 is preferably concentrically positioned, and projects with its upper end 16, beyond the edge of the tube 10. The lower end 17 of the synthetic hose leads into the channel 18 of a metal block 19. The end of the channel 18 which is turned away from the hose 15, starts at the lowest point of the gas container 11.

When the heating system 13 is put into operation at low temperature, the condensate which has collected in the channel 18 and may be present in the gas container 11, is heated up. After the condensate becomes gassified once more, this gas begins to rise through the hose 15', into the gas container 8. There the container 8 and its contents are heated through heat transport, primarily through the condensation heat, if the container 8 has not yet reached the condensation temperature re quired for the available high pressure. The condensate which develops thereby, collects at the bottom of the container 8 and runs through the space between the tube 10 and the hose l5, downward, into the container 11. There it again vaporizes in the channel 18. As a result, a closed cycle with a unidirectional flow is provided, firstly in the hose 15 and secondly in the space 20, between the hose l5 and the tube 10. This effects a low-loss heat transport which considerably increases the effectiveness of the heating system 13, used for heating the container'8.

I claim:

1. A device for a compressed gas circuit breaker comprising two spatially separated gas containers, containing compressed gas, two coaxial tubes, one within the other, interconnecting said gas containers, one of the gas containers being lower than the other, the lower gas container having a heating device, the inner one of the tubes ending in the heating device at the lowest point of the lower gas containers, said outer tube having an upper end extending into said upper gas container to a lower position of the latter whereby condensed gas in said upper container passes into said outer tube, said inner tube having an upper end in said upper gas container displaced from said upper end of said outer tube to preclude condensed gas from flowing into said inner tube, said outer tube having a lower end leading to said heating device whereby condensed gas flowing downwardly through said outer tube passes to said heating device where it is heated and vaporized to pass to said inner tube, said heating device thereby causing said gas to circulate from the lower gas container to the upper gas container through the inner one of the tubes and circulates back from the upper gas container to the lower gas container in the outer one of the tubes in the spaces between the inner and outer tubes.

2. A device as claimed in claim I, wherein the inner tube comprises a hose.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inner tube comprises plastic synthetic material. 

1. A device for a compressed gas circuit breaker comprising two spatially separated gas containers, containing compressed gas, two coaxial tubes, one within the other, interconnecting said gas containers, one of the gas containers being lower than the other, the lower gas container having a heating device, the inner one of the tubes ending in the heating device at the lowest point of the lower gas containers, said outer tube having an upper end extending into said upper gas container to a lower position of the latter whereby condensed gas in said upper container passes into said outer tube, said inner tube having an upper end in said upper gas container displaced from said upper end of said outer tube to preclude condensed gas from flowing into said inner tube, said outer tube having a lower end leading to said heating device whereby condensed gas flowing downwardly through said outer tube passes to said heating device where it is heated and vaporized to pass to said inner tube, said heating device thereby causing said gas to circulate from the lower gas container to the upper gas container through the inner one of the tubes and circulates back from the upper gas container to the lower gas container in the outer one of the tubes in the spaces between the inner and outer tubes.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner tube comprises a hose.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inner tube comprises plastic synthetic material. 